Driven by a desire to live a decent life, Randhir Singh furiously pursued kabaddi. This was more than three decades ago when the sport was alive and popular in most schools across the country. He convinced his family to allow him to chase his dreams in a small rectangular box and was soon making waves in the kabaddi fraternity. Fame came in phases, but not money. Undeterred, he carried on. Security came in the shape of a job with the Railways. The family was relieved. The game Kabaddi had crafted Randhir’s future.
A demonstration sport in the 1982 Asian Games, kabaddi made its debut in 1990 in Beijing. Randhir was part of the Indian team and also history. India won the gold medal. The fact that it was India’s lone gold at that Asiad added to the lustre of the kabaddi team’s feat. Randhir basked in the glory of the wonderful achievement. The team was feted all over the country and recognition came through monetary rewards and functions. “It was unbelievable,” Randhir reflects, pointing out that India has earned six consecutive gold medals at the Asian Games since that eventful day in China.
Kabaddi is in the news again. The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) and the World Kabaddi League (WKL) have come as a whiff of fresh air. “It is unbelievable,” says Randhir, talking about the enthusiasm and support that has been generated from some of the most unexpected quarters. The media response is what has thrilled the kabaddi players most, not to forget the financial gains. “I am so happy that kabaddi, a truly Indian sport, has finally gained recognition and respect from the society. We are just waiting for the PKL to begin,” says an excited Randhir is excited.
Kabaddi has its roots in Indian mythology. It has a tradition too of tournaments that date back 100 years. One of the earliest public performances outside India came at the 1936 Berlin Olympics when the Hanuman Vyayaam Prasarak Mandal from Amravati in Maharashtra sent a delegation-cum-team to demonstrate the sport. The audience was said to have been enchanted by the skill and speed that marked the games. It took a long time for kabbadi to make an impact at the international level.
Hanuman Vyayaam Prasarak Mandal from Amravati in Maharashtra sent a delegation-cum-team to demonstrate the sport. The audience was said to have been enchanted by the skill and speed that marked the games. It took a long time for kabbadi to make an impact at the international level.
Navneet Gautam, Ajay Rakesh Kumar, Surjeet Narwal and Jasvir Singh are names that promise to catch your attention at the inaugural PKL. Rakesh Kumar commanded a price of Rs.12,80,00 and Thakur, Deepak Niwas and Narwal 60,000 sixty thousand less. Eight franchises have invested in the league, with players from these teams proud of their sport on the verge of taking a huge leap. Glamour has come with cine stars Abhishek Bachchan and Sonakshi Sinha associating with what is being projected as the largest spectacle in India’s oldest sport. The auction of players was welcomed with emotion.
Winner of Arjuna Award recipient Raju Bhavsar, looking forward to the launch of the league, felt, “It is heart-warming to see how far this sport has progressed, the difference almost night and day! I never thought that in my lifetime I would be witness to a moment where a professional kabaddi player would be valued at such high numbers — truly worth his while. This day will be written in the history books in gold — this is the new dawn for kabaddi.” This day will go down in the history books in gold – this is the new dawn for kabaddi.”
The best thing about kabaddi, as with kho-kho, another indigenous sport, is the no-cost infrastructure that marks the sport. “You can play kabaddi in schools and the neighbourhood, on grass, on mud. Now the professional competitions are held on mats,” says Charu Sharma, the driving force behind the event. A former diver of national repute and a commentator of standing, Charu is convinced it is the beginning of a bright era where domestic sport will gain huge recognition.
Kabaddi may have remained in the shade backstage as far as public recognition is concerned, but Government support has kept the sport kicking. As Randhir, now a coach with the Bengaluru team, points out, “There is no guarantee that playing Ranji Trophy would get a cricketer a job, but no kabaddi player from a national championship winning squad remains unemployed. Various departments provide earning facilities to kabaddi players.”
An unheralded sport, with roots in rustic India, will ‘raid’ the urban drawing rooms from this Saturdaytoday, promising electrifying stuff. With Star providing state-of-the-art telecast, Randhir Singh and his dedicated bunch of kabaddi stars, past and present, will be living a dream.